Device for detecting a carrying case using orientation signatures

Abstract

A device for detecting a carrying case using orientation signatures, and method therefor, is provided. The device includes: at least one orientation sensor; a memory storing one or more carrying-case insertion signatures; and, a processor configured to: receive output from the at least one orientation sensor as a function of time; and place the device in a carrying case mode when a time-dependent pattern in the output matches the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device comprising:
 at least one orientation sensor; 
 a memory storing one or more carrying-case insertion signatures; and, 
 a processor configured to:
 receive output from the at least one orientation sensor as a function of time; 
 track an average of the time-dependent pattern and store at least a portion of the average in the memory as the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures when the time-dependent pattern matches the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures; and, 
 place the device in a carrying case mode when a time-dependent pattern in the output matches the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the time-dependent pattern comprises an acceleration of the device as a function of time. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores one or more carrying-case removal signatures and the processor is further configured to place the device in an out-of-carrying case mode when the time-dependent pattern in the output matches the one or more carrying-case removal signatures. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one orientation sensor is configured to measure the orientation of the device in one or more directions, and the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures comprises a respective signature for each of the one or more directions. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to provision the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures at the memory by:
 receiving input at an input device to begin monitoring the output from the at least one orientation sensor as a function of time; and, 
 storing the output from the at least one orientation sensor as a function of time at the memory as the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures. 
 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor for determining one or more of a velocity and an acceleration of the device, and the processor is further configured to adjust a sampling rate of the at least one orientation sensor based on one or more of the velocity and the acceleration. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more of a near field communication (NFC) reader and a short range RF (radio-frequency) reader and the processor is further configured to confirm carrying-case insertion when the time-dependent pattern in the output matches the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures and the one or more of the NFC reader and the short range RF reader detects one or more of an NFC tag and a short range RF tag. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to filter noise from the time-dependent pattern in the output. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the carrying case mode comprises one or more of: a sleep mode, a peek mode, and a quiet mode. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation sensor comprises one or more of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, and a magnetometer. 
     
     
       11. A method comprising:
 at a device comprising: at least one orientation sensor; a memory storing one or more carrying-case insertion signatures; and, a processor,
 receiving output at the processor from the at least one orientation sensor as a function of time; 
 tracking an average of the time-dependent pattern; and storing at least a portion of the average in the memory as the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures when the time-dependent pattern matches the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures; and, 
 the processor placing the device in a carrying case mode a time-dependent pattern in the output matches the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the time-dependent pattern comprises an acceleration of the device as a function of time. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the memory further stores one or more carrying-case removal signatures and the method further comprises placing the device in an out-of-carrying case mode when the time-dependent pattern in the output matches the one or more carrying-case removal signatures. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one orientation sensor is configured to measure the orientation of the device in one or more directions, and the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures comprises a respective signature for each of the one or more directions. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising provisioning the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures at the memory by:
 receiving input at an input device to begin monitoring the output from the at least one orientation sensor as a function of time; and, 
 storing the output from the at least one orientation sensor as a function of time at the memory as the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the device further comprises at least one sensor for determining one or more of a velocity and an acceleration of the device, and the method further comprises adjusting a sampling rate of the at least one orientation sensor based on one or more of the velocity and the acceleration. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the device further comprises one or more of a near field communication (NFC) reader and a short range RF (radio-frequency) reader and the method further comprises confirming carrying-case insertion when the time-dependent pattern in the output matches the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures and the one or more of the NFC reader and the short range RF reader detects one or more of an NFC tag and a short range RF tag. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising filtering noise from the time-dependent pattern in the output. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the carrying case mode comprises one or more of a sleep mode, a peek mode, and a quiet mode. 
     
     
       20. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method comprising:
 at a device comprising: at least one orientation sensor; a memory storing one or more carrying-case insertion signatures; and, a processor, 
 receiving output at the processor from the at least one orientation sensor as a function of time; 
 tracking an average of the time-dependent pattern; and storing at least a portion of the average in the memory as the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures when the time-dependent pattern matches the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures; and, 
 placing the device in a carrying case mode when the processor determines that a time-dependent pattern in the output matches the one or more carrying-case insertion signatures.